The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-02-11

Gus; then we shall get there. The es
tremely slow tortoise that we used t
read about in school Won the race be
cause it kept right along. Let US keel
| right along and we, too, shall win.
| 1t will be no improperly to refer t,
| the fact that sheep husbandry has come
upon hard times. Wehave had our tul
share of disaster, failure and discourage
ment. But to be fair, we must remem
Der that in times past sheep husbandr,
was in fourishing condition, and tht
f1ock-master's pockets, though wide and
deep, were well filled. The war demand
to clothe a million and half of soldiers
and the tariff so raised the price of wool
that sheep farming became immensely
profitable, and wool growers grew rich
Every old eve was nursed and tended
and made to multiply her kind, and
every orphaned lamb was carefully
raised until the land was swarmed with
sheep. By and by peace came and
there were no more soldiers to clothe
Then the destruction of the earnings OF
the nation, the wiping out of the savings
of more than generation by the war,
greatly diminished and crippled the ca
pacity of the people as consumers. The
peoples energies were directed to pay
ing the cost of the war. War taxes met
the consumer at every turn. They
were attached to every thing he ate and
drank or wore and everything he looked
upon, unless it were the heavens. He
nearly stopped consuming. Manufac-
tured goods found few buyers, and had
to be piled up. The manufacturer re-
quired lessened quantity of wool, and
could afford to pay but small price.
And so in the face of a war tariff the
prices of wool grew less every year until
they would scarcely pay the cost of pro-
duction on farms east Of the Mississippi
river. In 1888 Congress took off the
ad ualorem per cent duty, which was
equivalent to a reduction of the tariff of
three cents per pound on wool valued at
80 cents. A large majority of wool
growers: instigated mainly by politicians
who wanted their votes, persistently
charged this legislation with being the
cause of lessening the prices of WOOL
1t is the opinion of many able men that
the reduction of the tariff had no effect
on prices.
There is one thing we must learn, that
the prosperity and profits of sheep hus-
bandry do not wait on tariff legislation. IF
sheep husbandry must wait for its profits
on the re-enactment of the tariff of 1867,
we had better abandon the business now.
Restoring the tariff of 1867 would raise
the duties on woods of the kind we grow
from two to three cents per pound
But in view of the fact that the price Of
our wool steadily declined under the
operation of the tariff there is no hope
that its restoration would raise the price
of our wool now.
The evils that have come upon sheep
husbandry have not been without their
compromising good. Millions of poor,
improbable sheep have been slaughter
ed and cut off from reproducing their
kind. This is blessing we can grasp,
and one for which we ought to be i'm
mensely thankful. The good sheep are
kept, and by proper effort can be i'm
proved-another illustration of the survi-
val of the fttest.
Admitting to the fullest extent the
evils that have befallen our industry and
the present complete appropriateness of
wool growing, the question is -: What
shall we do? What wiser course than to
abandon an improbable business? Sell
off the sheep and go into something else
something that will afford a satisfactory
profit? This would seem to be the wise
course to pursue. But experience has
taught us not to be guided by superficial
indications or impulses. There are
many sides to the question, and many
factors in the case, and it is in accord
with business principles to consider these
in their various relations, so that we
might not hastily take course of which
we should repent when We had leisure.
There is one striking feature which
we cannot well help considering. Many
farms are devoted almost exclusively to
sheep husbandry, and their owners are
evidently as prosperous as the average
of farmers. And it is whispered by the
winds that dairy farmers go to these
farms to pay their interest. And while
these sheep men complain because they
don't get half dollar a pound for their
wool, you don't hear them talk about
selling off their sheep and going into
something else.
There is difference in the adaptable
ity of farms and the adaptability of farm
ers for sheep husbandry, and both these
affect the question of profits. No man
can succeed to the extent that he ought
unless he loves and is content with his
business. The sheep man who does not
love his sheep, and whose enthusiasm is
not aroused for their comfort, care and
thrift, had better abandon the business
Immediately, and not wait for legislation
to raise the price of wool.
The business of sheep husbandry is
one of the most useful employments of
man, and consequently one of the most
noble. The business of sheep raising
and wool growing is refining and elevat-
ing in its tendencies. In this industry
every operation is calculated TO incite
thoughtfulness, carefulness, kindness and
gentleness. Some of the tenderest
thoughts that stir the human heart are
expressed in symbols of sheep husban-
dry. "He caIleth his sheep by name,
and the sheep know his voice" He
taketh the lambs in his arms and CARR
eth them in his BOSOM"
Our gathering here to-day demon
strates the fact that we have faith in
sheep raising and wool growing, and that
we realize in some degree the impor-
lance of our industry. We have met
here to counsel together to advance our
interests. Our programme offers impor-
tant questions for discussion, and each
one is expected to do what he can to
make our meeting profitable.
A report of discussions will appear
next week.
EXCURSION TO JACKSON AND